.410 for turkey

I personally never have really understood the 410 craz, unless its just to say you did it with a 410 (which is fine). 20 gauge achieves the same purpose going to a subgauge for me. You cut weight in carrying it and unlike the 410 your not limited to a single shot (obviously not all 410 are single shots but thats what most get)

If you carry around a 12 gauge and want to go to a sub gauge to really reduce weight and some recoil then just go to a 20 gauge, again just my opinion. Yes shells are more expensive but they are easier to find and have much better efficiency.
 
Southern Sportsman said:
If you really don't want to spend $30-$50 a year on ammo, then I would advise against a .410. You can obviously kill a turkey with a .410 shooting lead, but it's going to be a 20-25 yard proposition. With tungsten, you can easily stretch one out to traditional 12 ga ranges.
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Then what's the point? I just don't get the 410 tss thing, 410 and lead, yes, but not 410 tss. But that's just me.
 
I've never used anything but, a 12 gauge personally. I just have always used 3" lead loads. The thing with .410's is the light weight. A guy at work bought one last year. A Stevens I think.
 
REN said:
I personally never have really understood the 410 craz, unless its just to say you did it with a 410 (which is fine). 20 gauge achieves the same purpose going to a subgauge for me. You cut weight in carrying it and unlike the 410 your not limited to a single shot (obviously not all 410 are single shots but thats what most get)

If you carry around a 12 gauge and want to go to a sub gauge to really reduce weight and some recoil then just go to a 20 gauge, again just my opinion. Yes shells are more expensive but they are easier to find and have much better efficiency.
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Although I sometimes hunt with a .410, I generally agree with this. Mine (which is a pump gun) weighs roughly the same as my 20, any my 20 (O/U) is actually shorter. But my wife's dad gave me the gun (his old rabbit gun) when my son was born. It's a full size gun (High Standard Flite King K4111) with a 26" barrel. But since I hand load, I couldn't help but tinker with it. Turns out, it's a real sweet shooter with the right load. (Most recent patterns below).

Shortly after I got it, I found a wood butt stock for it on ebay for less than $40. I snagged that and cut it down to a 10.5" length of pull and fabricated a butt pad. I cut the length off in three equal sections. When my kids outgrow the shortest length, I'll screw on the next section and extend it. Should be able to do that until they grow into the full size stock or switch to a 20.

Honestly, some of the smaller framed youth models that are now available (Mossberg Super Bantam, Stevens 301, Rossi, etc.) would be better kid guns. Even with the shortened stock, the 26" barrel makes mine a little hard for a small kid to balance/aim with. But the nostalgia of this gun has kept me from switching. We have a little monopod to support the weight, and that works fine for turkeys or any stationary target.

I think I've killed 3 turkeys with it, and my wife used it to kill her first last year. And my son will try to add another notch to it this weekend. Overall, the reduced recoil of a .410 is big for smaller kids, even compared to a reduced-recoil 20 ga load. But when I hunt with it, it's just for chits&giggles. It doesn't reduce weight or length vs. my main gun.


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Iglow said:
Then what's the point? I just don't get the 410 tss thing, 410 and lead, yes, but not 410 tss. But that's just me.
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I don't disagree. Unless there is a genuine concern about recoil (small kid or someone recovering from some type of injury/surgery), there is very little benefit other than reducing weight by a pound or two — which is not insignificant. But if shooting tungsten, it's not much of a handicap either. Some people undoubtedly do it to appear cool/accomplished or to impress people. While I'm always impressed by the proper calling up and killing of a gobbler, if you shoot him at 40 yards with a shotgun, I'm not any more impressed by the gauge of shotgun used.
 
for kids and smaller framed people I totally get it. Again not crapping on people that use them, if you enjoy it and find it a cool challenge then by all means!!

having said that, IF I were to ever do it, TSS would be the only option as far as ammo goes in it. You can get away with lead just fine in 12 and even 20 to some extent but I would just never hunt with a 410 and lead shot personally.
 
Lots of great responses.
I'm trying to cut down weight.
An 870 was fine up in Illinois sitting in a ground blind with decoys.
Down here, I'm movin up an down the mountains.
Also got my dad's browning bps 20 gauge.
Just trying to use guns that mean something to me.
 
Chiflyguy said:
I've seen a lot of talk, seen some videos.
I'm impressed.
Lugging around an 870 with a 28" barrel is getting old.
Any gun out there that patterns good with non TSS shells?
$8-10 a piece is too rich for my blood.
Now I do have a Stevens 311 .410 double my grandpa bought my late dad in 1953 for $10 from a bail bondsman on the south side of Chicago.
It's one of my prized possessions.
Would you give it a shot?
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What barrels does it have? Do not shoot TSS thru it.
 
Southern Sportsman said:
Although I sometimes hunt with a .410, I generally agree with this. Mine (which is a pump gun) weighs roughly the same as my 20, any my 20 (O/U) is actually shorter. But my wife's dad gave me the gun (his old rabbit gun) when my son was born. It's a full size gun (High Standard Flite King K4111) with a 26" barrel. But since I hand load, I couldn't help but tinker with it. Turns out, it's a real sweet shooter with the right load. (Most recent patterns below).

Shortly after I got it, I found a wood butt stock for it on ebay for less than $40. I snagged that and cut it down to a 10.5" length of pull and fabricated a butt pad. I cut the length off in three equal sections. When my kids outgrow the shortest length, I'll screw on the next section and extend it. Should be able to do that until they grow into the full size stock or switch to a 20.

Honestly, some of the smaller framed youth models that are now available (Mossberg Super Bantam, Stevens 301, Rossi, etc.) would be better kid guns. Even with the shortened stock, the 26" barrel makes mine a little hard for a small kid to balance/aim with. But the nostalgia of this gun has kept me from switching. We have a little monopod to support the weight, and that works fine for turkeys or any stationary target.

I think I've killed 3 turkeys with it, and my wife used it to kill her first last year. And my son will try to add another notch to it this weekend. Overall, the reduced recoil of a .410 is big for smaller kids, even compared to a reduced-recoil 20 ga load. But when I hunt with it, it's just for chits&giggles. It doesn't reduce weight or length vs. my main gun.


View attachment 222274
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My ex Son in law bought a Rossi for my grandson. Had the combo barrels for 410/22. Shot the 2 .5 in shell. HARDEST KICKING GUN I HAVE EVER SHOT and this was with regular field loads, then I understood why he only wanted to shoot the 22
 
As tellico4x4 stated "Ammo is the cheapest thing" And I agree. I have shot all gauges of shotguns for turkey, and killed with all gauges including 410 bore, Just don't like the punishment of a 12 gauge turkey load gives.(Call me a fluffy kittens if you like) You are not dove shooting, I will gladly pay 10/12 dollars per shot to ease pain of shooting. And the limit is 2. I have killed birds at 45 yards stone dead with my 410 Charles Daily with TSS 8/10 combo
 
Chiflyguy said:
I've seen a lot of talk, seen some videos.
I'm impressed.
Lugging around an 870 with a 28" barrel is getting old.
Any gun out there that patterns good with non TSS shells?
$8-10 a piece is too rich for my blood.
Now I do have a Stevens 311 .410 double my grandpa bought my late dad in 1953 for $10 from a bail bondsman on the south side of Chicago.
It's one of my prized possessions.
Would you give it a shot?
Click to expand...
I would not shoot tss in that .410. Too many complaints about tss messing up .410 barrels. Worth the money if you want to shoot a .410 to buy a new single shot .410 rather than shoot in an antique gun with sentimental value.
 
So what is the weight difference between the Stevens in 410 vs 20?

If I did not want to shoot TSS, I'd just buy the 20 gauge and shoot LBXR #6 and would feel confident out to 35-40 yards probably.
 

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